Learning How to Smile
by Kisuru-chan
Summary: Nozomi's been missing practice recently. While the others wonder where she keeps going, Nico decides she should get to the bottom of this before Nozomi brings down the group.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** : Written as a Yuletide 2015 exchange gift for dabblingDilettante.

* * *

Nico was the first to notice the absence of Nozomi's teasing ways that morning.

Earlier in the clubroom she had laughed and talked like ordinary with the other girls. But a lack of something had shown itself in her expression that was not the warm-hearted Nozomi they all knew.

A spark of sadness.

Something was radically different with Nozomi. Nico could not put her finger on the cause, but she could identify with that look. It was the look to escape—it was the look that said she did not want to burden anyone. At practice, then, Nico found herself unusually focused on Nozomi in search of odd behavior.

Nothing Immediately fueled those stray suspicions. Nozomi lifted her arms high towards the sparkling blue sky, her eyes shut and relaxed, allowing herself to mediate. Nothing in the world would trample over her concentration.

But that distance on her face... a quirk of her lips showed a stream of thoughts too unreachable like a comet zipping through the purple clouds on a late evening day.

Nico nearly bumped into Kotori's wide-open arms with her train of thought elsewhere. She stepped off to the side to avoid her, but she could hardly put her all into her own warm-up exercises.

 _Why am I bothered?_ Nico threw her head back and kicked out her feet to practice one of her stand-out poses. _It's not like she's asking for help. I don't have time to think about things like that._

Nozomi adored u's. There should have been no problem. Just sometimes Nico wondered if Nozomi work ethic was higher than almost all of the group combined. Without a doubt she would lose an arm falling from exhaustion if it meant making the audience applaud with her dancing. She would delight in claps and cheers and togetherness.

Nico could respect that minset.

Nozomi was that kind of person, and Nico knew this as someone who took care of needy (but utterly adorable) little siblings. Like her, Nozomi would do anything to make another person happy even if it hurt her in the process.

But she was still caught off-guard when, from the corner of Nico's eye, Nozomi stopped her stretching exercises and backed towards the rooftop door. Inching further and further away from the group. Her hair hid her face, and Nico was unable to disicpher her expression.

What was she. . . .?

To Nico's bewilderment, surprise hit her in full-force when Nozomi reached for the knob. Hesitation rooted her to spot, and her palm hovered over the metal knob as if seeking reassurance this was right. From this angle, Nozomi seemed ashamed that she had to stoop this low.

 _What is she doing?_ Nico did a twirl not to give away she noticed. From her place, Nico glanced at the rest of u's. None of the other girls had noticed yet. Annoyance burned in her chest. _I'll give her a piece of my mind if she wants to abandon us all without even a word. This is a difficult routine today—_

Too late.

A few paces from her, Eli realized what was going on. Nico was relieved when Eli put two and two together.

"What's wrong, Nozomi?" Eli called over. She flopped in her place on the ground, right in the middle of a push-up.

Nozomi's eyes widened a little to be caught red-handed. Still, she seemed like she had expected this outcome.

"I—" Nozomi began, smiling weakly. She obviously did not want to lie to her best friend. "I have something I need to do."

Eli blinked. She frowned in concern. "You're skipping practice?"

Hearing this, each of the other u's members made it a point to follow Eli's line of sight. All of them had the exact same question; _what's wrong?  
_  
Good question. Nico could finally not handle this any longer. Usually she was brash, but... this somehow seemed like it called for her attention specifically.

 _If there's something you want done, you have to do it yourself_. Exasperated, Nico rounded on Nozomi and pointed at her.

"If you have something to say, you should just spit it out already!" Nico chided. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at Nozomi.

Unaffected, Nozomi shook her head. The dazed look on her face disappeared. To Nico, it was strange that she paid more attention to her lecture than Eli's soft-spoken inquiry of worry.

"Like I said, I have somewhere I need to go!" Smile straining, she shouldered her bag on her shoulder. Nozomi bowed her head in apology. "I'm sorry, everyone! I want to stay but this can't wait. It's fate! Please practice hard for my share, too!"

With that, Nozomi grabbed the door knob. Tthe steel hinges of the door clicked open, and Nozomi hurtled through, purple ponytails flying after her as she raced away down the stairs.

u's watched her leave in silence.

Nozomi... left. Left with a quick goodbye, which was completely unlike her.

 _What was that about?_ Nico spawned a similar frown to Eli's taken aback one.

Since nobody else followed, neither did Nico. Despite that, somehow, she wondered if she was supposed to.

As the days passed, Nico found herself increasingly irritated. Honestly, she was more irritated than she thought would be possible to focus on someone other than her homework, or those final exams slowly creeping closer and closer.

Nozomi refused to explain where she kept going every day around practice. And again and again Nozomi deserted the group for the next week. Usually it was right before practice began or mid-practice when the group had gotten well-warmed up after a few routines. But it was the same old ambiguous story

Nozomi would profusely apologize with that cursed distant look on her face and back towards the door. From the corner of her eye, Nico would watch her feet inch and inch towards the rooftop door until either Honoka or Eli called her out on feeling sick. She always declined.

Nico of course was a very busy idol studious worker. She found this atrocious and slacking behavior. How coudl she betray them like this? Studying idol magazines and the latest blog entries and upcoming singles coming out—that was her life, and she could not understand Nozomi's need to leave it so soon. So, Nico did everything she could to keep herself on the edge of the idol world and not think about Nozomi.

Nico still could not concentrate.

No, she could not concentrate when she plopped her earphones on and listened to one of the newest album she had been anticipating for exactly two months, six days, and three hours. She could not fully enjoy the sweet melody.

 _It's all Nozomi's fault!_ Nico pounded the clubroom table in front of her with her fist. A stack of papers fluttered and scattered across the tabletop in a dizzying swoop. She was glad none of the others were there to see this.

 _Hmph!_ Nico squashed the cover page of a magazine between her hands. Seeing the face of newcoming idol named Inoue Yukari, on the bent front cover she hurriedly smoothed it out again. _And she refuses to talk about it! Maybe I'll have to talk some sense into her myself!_

Maki had (too sensibly) said not to rock the boat and let Nozomi get whatever was in her system out by herself. As much as she relied on u's, sometimes Nozomi needed time to herself. Maki believed she would come around. Eli so far had not commented too much, taking a backseat ride to the events unfolding.

Honoka's idea of catching Nozomi in the act was ambushing her and having her explain everything over a good dinner. Nico finally remembered why Honoka had been so persuasive to start u's in the first place with that confident attitude.

" _I'm absolutely fine_!" Nozomi's voice rang in Nico's ears. She could picture Nozomi insisting this before all Nico could see was her back. " _I'm sorry, I'm make up double, no triple, the practice time when this is all over. I promise!"_

Odder, everyone in u's could tell she was being sincere and did not interfere. But still, Nico did not want to hear excuses.


	2. Chapter 2

One day, enough was enough. Nico would have to make Nozomi spill the beans whether anyone approved or not. Nobody had ever stopped Nico before on a mission, and nobody ever would!

Honestly, u's was so lucky to have someone who spoke their mind like her. Unlike the others who were patiently wanted to wait for Nozomi's return.

That afternoon Nico waited for the perfect opportunity when most of u's had left the clubroom empty. Except her main target—the one she hoped would be her partner in crime. Yes, he one person that would sympathize with Nozomi the most.

"You know, she isn't fine at all," Nico said. She rearranged a pile of albums stacked in front of her. Time to get down to business. "Isn't it strange Nozomi keeps leaving before practice?"

Eli had just about put her foot over the threshold. Nico had reeled her in—hook, line, and sinker. She slowly turned around to take a deep breath.

 _Yeah,_ Nico thought with smugness, _this is a matter for third years to clean up. The others don't have to worry about this. We know Nozomi the best!_

She was proud of herself for her immense patience this far, and she was pat herself on the shoulder later with some new idol PVs at home. Even if she wanted to whack Nozomi in the head for worrying them all. _We can handle this and Nozomi will back to normal soon._

"I figured she wanted to time to herself," Eli admitted. She gripped the stack of documents in her hand a little more tightly, bending the edges of the bottom half just a little too much. "But she's doing it so much lately, I can't understand where she's going."

Finally, some recongition! "It's pulling down u's and everything we're working towards!" Nico scowled. Nozomi would confess to whatever was bugging her, or else there would be a punishment. "Has she told you anything?"

Eli winced, troubled to even have to answer that question.

"No, not really. I even try to call her at home after practice on my cell and she won't answer no matter how many times I ring. Morning or in the evening after practice." Eli focused on a pin-up on the wall of upcoming events. "Once I called back immediately because I thought I heard her voice. It was her voicemail."

Something about having to say that her best friend had not even bothered to include her in whatever it was... Eli's voice wavered. To not trust Eli with whatever had brought Nozomi's usually smiling expression down so much...

Nico could clearly see the tinges of pain on Eli's face thinking about what that meant for their trust. Somewhere deep down, Nico found displeasure in even bringing it up in the first place, but she squashed those feelings with another pound of her fist on the tabletop.

"And don't you care, not even making her answer!?" It was harsh, but Nico had to ask. Why this bothered Nico so much... no, she had no idea! She really didn't!

Eli's lips set in a hard line. Losing her cool for just a moment, she actually stomped her foot on the floor.

"Of course I'm worried about Nozomi!" Eli snapped. "I'm always the one she can count on the most and she doesn't. Sometimes, though—sometimes," she took another deep breath, and the clear ironing out her words before she spoke came loud and clear, "she wants to do what she wants to alone. I don't want to push her if she doesn't want it."

A logical and well-prepared argument… more or less. But Nico did not buy it. The albums clacked and clacked on top of each other as Nico sorted through them in a skyscraper. It was a tower, maybe Tokyo Tower—a tower waiting to fall.

Nico huffed. "Whatever, she's just making u's worry. She's not focus on practicing at all, and I don't care about excuses," Nico shot back. "If she won't tell us, there's nothing we can do. I'm not going to accept that halfheartedness."

Nico did not bother to look Eli in the eye after that comment. She pretended to be completely busy with her own thing. Moments later, the sound of Eli's footsteps receding down the hallway told Nico all she needed to know. Once again, like always, she was all alone.

It was alright. Eli would give Nozomi her personal space, but Nico could not let an idol desert them like this. How would u's rise to fame and glory if Nozomi was not doing her part to chip in and learn?

Wishy-washy attitudes were not how idols got to the top charts. Like the Idol Research Club, she would monitor Nozomi's behavior like a mother hen. She would have to correct this ill-fated mistake on her idol career, because Nozomi would not drag her down to the depths of burning, unsavory failure.

Eli would not join her as a partner in crime. So be it.

Detective Nico was on the case!

* * *

Later that day right after school and thinking over it again, Nico was at the end of her rope. She was done waiting. So, to put the matter to bed, she would badger Nozomi until she confessed her sinful acts against idol kind.

Despite her efforts, Nico could not find Nozomi in the school building. High or low, the perceptive and cheerful girl was missing. Nozomi should have had no reason to skip out on —she should have been right there somewhere, diligently talking to her teacher about homework.

But...

Wait!

Nico spotted purple ponytails bob behind a wall towards the nearest staircase. Nozomi would not get away!

Nico dashed down the hallway. Normally she would put the whole track team to shame with her speed but today she found herself panting by the time she reached Nozomi. Hesitating, Nozomi had just took her first step on the stairway.

"You!" NIco pointed. She gasped before straightening. "And where do you think you're going, huh!?" Pant. "You're not getting away from me so easily!"

Nozomi turned around slowly. Confusion crossed her face, and she held her notebooks closer to her chest. "What do you mean, Nicocchi?"

Nico leapt so close to Nozomi their faces were practically inches away.

"You, me, let's talk. You're not coming to practices," Nico said with the upmost meager patience. "Answers. Why?"

Something unidentifiable and dark crossed Nozomi's face at the mention of whatever it was that kept her so busy. But it was not anger—up close, a deep-seated sort of sadness even flickered in green eyes now before dissipating.

Nico planted her hands on her hips. She was not about to be bulldozed over on the account Nozomi was depressed.

"Oh, I understand!" Nozomi brightened without any warning. And before Nico could do anything to stop her evil tyranny, Nozomi was behind Nico. Her fingers twitched excitedly. "You've been naughty, and you want me to give you a breast massage to teach you a lesson."

Nico froze. Her heart stopped beating in her chest, and she shuddered like ice was dropped down her spine. Pure and stark terror radiated down to her core.

"Eh!" Nico scrambled forward, hoping she would be fast enough. "I didn't say anything about that, you per... ahhh!"

Nico screamed. She thrashed in Nozomi's grasp as large hands descended on her humiliatingly flat-as-board chest. Nozomi still managed to make something out of that by cupping and squeezing each inch of skin.

Having enough, Nico pushed Nozomi back into the staircase rail. She balled her fists just to get her point across, eyes dark with threat.

"I told you to stop it! I'm trying to talk to you seriously about this, and—" Nico found herself trailing off mid-sentence.

Not much could rattle Nozomi. Every time Nico saw her, she was always smiling and trying to make others happy. But what expression was tugging on her lips—yes, that was anger, like the first fresh and raw droplets of spring rain sprinkling past the sun. Her jaw was set, her eyes narrowed at NIco.

Bewildered for intelligible words, Nico leaned against the staircase.

Nozomi was scary when she was upset.

"Okay, I'll leave you alone," Nozomi replied. Without waiting, she turned on her heel to walk back down the hallway, the opposite way she had meant to go.

Nico blankly stared, speechless. Nozomi had not only stopped teasing her... but almost yelled in her own special way.

What was Nozomi even thinking?

"Nozomi...?" Nico asked the ceiling cautiously. Strangely, for Nozomi to leave her all alone like this just…

What was the emotion?

Hurt?

No, Nico was positively a-okay being alone. She had been alone for most of her life when mama worked late and her sisters went to bed. And when nobody talked to her in the idol club. But... but...

Nico touched her cheek. She pressed her fingertips into the soft and warm skin, trying to search, extract something that was not there, a wish or disblief that blossomed from the heart and ached.

NIco did not understand where that horrible feeling stemmed from. She could not find the mark that might as well have been a handprint on her cheek.

 _Did Nozomi do that on purpose, or..._ Nico suddenly caught onto the the string of a floating idea like the string of a kite in the breeze. It dawned on her like sun to the first mountain top. _Did she do that to distract me from the truth?_


	3. Chapter 3

For a few days, Nico tried to follow Nozomi when she skipped. She spent the evening searching, but she somehow would always lose track of her before the climatic moment. Nozomi was tricky.

So one day when Nozomi's absence became too much and shewas once again gone, Nico exploded. u's all backed away from her as she went on a well-needed rampage—a litany of mumbles about slackers that did deserve nothing.

Rin, watching her carefully, braved the waters of possible pain and approached the erupting volcano known as Mount Nico. She just patted her on the shoulder after Nico paused to fill her lungs with oxygen. Rin at least seemed sympathetic to her distress. Nico wanted none of that despite it all. She just wanted answers.

No, Nozomi would not escape again. Nico was ready. So, even after scaring the rest of u's with her harshness, she dashed off before questions could be tossed her way. Nico would discover where Nozomi went, and she would get to the bottom of this in no time.

When Nico came back down to the main level of the school she found nobody in the hallway. Most of the other students were likely in their own clubs by now.

Darn that Nozomi. But she could not have gotten too far away.

Nico ran to her school shoe locker.

"Today, the Great Super Idol Nico Nico-nii makes her debut undercover!" Nico murmured to herself gleefully. Well, she was always undercover out on the streets… Details. She reached into her shoe locker, pulling out her infamous face mash and sunglasses.

Yet again, it might be on the impractical side to where a face mask at night... and sunglasses while she was at thinking about this seriously. Nozomi knew what they looked like anyway. Okay, scratch that plan right off the bat. Wearing both at night would be sketchy in this case.

Nico glared at her idol wear, distraught. Alright, alright. She would improvise. The best idols could do that. She would make sure that Nozomi did not notice her.

Nico hurriedly slammed her locker door shut and toed on her shoes. _Not on my watch will Nozomi slip past me_. 

* * *

Stars littered the sky in clusters, the moon bright and half full from the crest of the sky. Nico was thankful she could see this late at night. Whenever she had sought out Nozomi, she came to this street. This was her best bet. Usually she would have been home checking her both her siblings blog and idol websites, but she supposed there was some charm in strolling through the street.

Her mama needed her, but she had told Mama she would be late tonight. The neighbors would take care of her sisters.

Glancing over a untrimmed bush, Nico's hopes toppled like rock thrown over a cliff. Maybe she had lost her! At one point she had Nozomi tailed, but then she had walked into a crowd in the downtown intersection and gotten lost in the sea of colors and chatting voices.

Honestly, Nico would have better luck just calling her and trying to hear—

Target spotted.

Nico hunched down behind the bush. She silently balled her fists in victory.

Nozomi had stopped next to a streetpost. White light shone down on her, showing her in full sight. She was alone, clutching her school bag. Her normally warm and gentle eyes were sharp with alert.

Waiting for Nozomi to make her move, Nico sighed and held onto the prickly leaves of the fern in front of her.

Nico clicked the Home button on her phone. The time said 21:00 pm. Nico groaned. How long would this take?

Soon enough Nozomi was on the move. Nico clamored to follow after her.

After about a ten minute walk Nozomi finally reached the front entrance of a plot of land tucked in behind a building under construction. It was one of the nearby parks based on the lights inside illuminating a playground. Now that it was so dark outside, the trees lining the back of the park seemed even creepier, the branches like hooks scraping out for a tasting meal. She could not even read one of the signs to tell which—

Not watching where she was going, Nico walked straight into something on the park path. She fell, skidding right on her knees. A red bump sprouted on her leg, and tears sprung to her eyes. She rubbed the spot and tried to keep quiet. On further inspection it was bike.

"Who leaves their bike in a park!" Nico punched the offending bike and hissed as pain shot up her arm. Dizzy with regret, she hopped up and down, rubbing her leg to ease a little bit of the pain branching out to the rest of her nerves.

Fate was not on her side.

As if just to spite her, Nozomi looked back at her at the sudden commotion. At first she took a defensive stance, but her face scrunched up when she realized who was under the yellow limelight of the park lamppost.

Nico looked up. She froze.

 _Caught_ , Nico thought. _Caught like a dead mouse. I'm going to die a horrible death that's not cute or pretty. I'll be squashed by breast-obsessed hands!_

"Nicocchi?" Nozomi asked. A perplexed expression crossed her face. Then, a hard edge erased that confusion. "You shouldn't be out here."

Too fearful to say anything, Nico stumbled back. Nozomi seemed like she would not have any of this; she approached Nico and grabbed her arm.

 _It really does look weird to see her angry_. She was too much pain to care about Nozomi's wishes still.

"So this where you've been going for last week, Nozomi!" Nico yelled as she jumped to her feet, the truth in her grasp. Of course, she always had to project she had everything in the palm of her hand.

Startled, Nozomi licked her lips, searching for something as a rebuttal. "Well, i . . . Why did you follow me out here anyway, Nicocchi?"

"Eh? I...!" Nico blinked, realizing she had no other reason than her own worry, which may have been stronger than Eli's from the get-go. The reason should be obvious, right!? She just... Nozomi looked so sad, and Eli was always sad too because she did not want to step on Nozomi's toes. "I just... well, I can't let you go anywhere as you please like this. I needed to know what you were doing."

Right to the point without those pesky emotions throwing her off-balance. Nico would not admit she was worried about her friend outright, okay! Jeeze.

Nozomi blinked. Something seemed to register in her brain. Nico did not expect it when Nozomi's hand gently patted her on the crown of her head. She smiled a warm smile. "Nicocchi is a good girl."

Nico leapt back. She almost ran, and fell over, the bike behind her. Again.

"I—It's not like that!" Nico said, nodding quickly. "This Super School Idol Nico Nico-nii should always make sure her fellow school idols are always laughing and happy. I can't let you just wander off by yourself late and night depressed and alone when we have so much for the Love Live to practice for! Got it?"

Nico wished she could put a cork in her own mouth or reign those embarrassing words back, because when she started rambling, she let loose. Nico's heart pounded like a hummingbird's. She clasped her hands together. Of course she had only done it for that reason! Nozomi was a u's member, too, and she should not have to feel like she was alone. The other girls would say the exact same thing for assurance.

Nico could not let an aspiring idol down.

Nozomi put a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "How about this. We come back here tomorrow and I'll let you why I was out here tonight?"

That was more than Nico had forthcomingly expected. Nozomi was being quite agreeable about all this business despite that Nico had stalked her all the way out here.

Fair enough. Nico was satisfied.

"I guess..." Nico trailed off. Then she would be the one to miss practice... Not like this had not for a few days. The others could go on without her for just one day if it were for a good reason.

Just one more day, that was all!

"Ohhh, and I'll make us a perfect little dinner," Nozomi said happily. "I'll make all of Nicocchi's favorites, and your breasts will grow even faster!"

Nico gasped. Automatically, she clutched at her chest. Her perfectly not voluptuous chest that Nozomi had rubbed all too recently in her memory.

"I can bring my own dinner, you know! My chest. Saying that all of a sudden...!"

Nozomi laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I thought you were mad at me," Nico muttered. She glowered at the grassy cracks in the pavement, her gaze intense enough to burn a crater in the cement,

Sheepishly, Nozomi scratched her cheek. "I was angry, and I still kind of am because I haven't found it yet, but . . . Nicocchi's cuteness washed away my anger. I'm not mad. I'm just a little... on edge. I can't decide what I should do."

 _Find? What's she trying to find?_ Nico's interest piqued here. She could probably help Nozomi figure out what to do.

NIco's chest puffed out at being called the cutest. Obviously, she was. These were the brilliant words Nico loved. She was right. Nico was always right.

Nico crossed her arms with a pout. She lifted her head high, pigtails flying in triumph. She sighed dramatically. "You have that all right, I guess. You're helpless without me, I'll come just because you asked, Nozomi!"

"That's sweet," Nozomi said, grinning.

 _But one thing has to be made clear_. Nico was positive of that much.

Nico leaned in close to Nozomi. So close, in fact, Nico their face were too close. She pushed on anyway, because she had to make her position clear!

"Just don't ambush me while we're in the dark out here and grab my breasts again, or you'll regret it," Nico warned. Her lips pressed into a deadpan grimace.

Nico needed to have at least one leverage to keep her santiy. That would push her through this weirdness.

Nozomi tilted her head to the side. She was unfazed and looked far too innocent. "You know I can't promise something like that," Nozomi replied matter-of-factly.

Nico groaned. She was not even teasing this time—she really meant that innocence as a genuine way of doing things! A weapon of mass destruction, to her ego. Nozomi was truly cunning.

But somehow the unspoken words had gotten through words rang truer than Nico wanted them to.

Nozomi needed her.


	4. Chapter 4

Nico and Nozomi met he next night around the same time at the park (albiet, to Nico's slight embarrassment, Nozomi giving her directions over the phone). Unfortunately, this time it started off worse than Nico had predicted. Far, far worse. She did not ask for this torture.

Nico understood that Nozomi was willing to do anything for her cause, but—

Yes, Nozomi was the one that believed in fate and called on the universal power of her tarot cards... Fate should not be this.

"Say 'ahhh'!" Nozomi encouraged. She raised her chopsticks and placed a octapus sausage clutched between the wooden sticks near Nico's face.

Nico shrunk back against the back of the bench they sat on. No. No _nope_ no.

"Don't feed me," Nico snapped.

Nozomi suggestively clicked the chopsticks. "Aw, but remember, you agreed to eat with me. Doesn't that mean you'll eat what I give you?" An almost evil smile played on her lips. She was a devil!

Prepping herself for the worst, Nico peered at the octopus sausage. She shivered despite the gentleness in Nozomi's tone, ready to bolt.

"That's not what I meant, you—"

Meaty and greasy octopus legs tickled Nico's lips as the sausage was dropped directly in her mouth. She gagged but chewed. Nico should have known this would be her punishment for talking. Having gone too far, she swallowed the sausage whole with distrust.

What was more humiliating than being fed in the middle of public!?

Not that anyone should have seen that in a dark park this late at night. Even the last minute stragglers had headed on home for bedtime. She still did not have an idea herself of why the two of them were out in the middle of the park, but she was done playing games.

"C'mon, don't be like that," Nozomi pleaded. She about picked up a strawberry out of the container, but Nico stopped her, putting her hand on Nozomi's to keep it down.

"Nozomi," Nico said slowly, "why are we really out here in this park? Can't you tell me instead of avoiding the question?"

Realizing Nico was serious, Nozomi frowned. Her shoulders drooped.

"I wasn't sure you would believe me, or the others," Nozomi said.

"Try me," Nico said, sifting her chopsticks through the beads of white rice in her own lunch box.

"Recently," Nozomi started, eating the strawberry herself, "I've noticed that... well, to put it bluntly, there has been unrest in the spiritual realm around here. LIke a wandering spirit can't leave."

Nico's ears perked up at this. "Huh?"

This was a very Nozomi observation, and Nico found herself disbelieving.

Seeming to sense this, Nozomi shrugged.

"Well," Nozomi clicked her chopsticks together, hovering them above her box, "I walk through here often. The gardens are peaceful. The flowers are beautiful." A dreamy smile came over her face as she imagined the daytime rendition of the park's bright colors. "Everything is so in tune with nature. But the thing is, the air... the feel of the balance—it's been shaken, like a lonely spirit crying out for help. And I thought, one day when I passed by those woods as the sun set, I caught a glimpse of the spriit inside."

Nico placed her chopsticks on top of her lunch box. She had barely eaten anything anyway, and listening to Nozomi's story made her less hungry. Not out of fear—just mildest curiosity. Nozomi was the one with the spiritual power infatuation, after all.

"That's your best guess? You're sure?" Nico asked. "All you've done is try to come here and send a spirit home?"

 _The afterlife_. Nico could not wrap her mind fully around that concept. The word stuck to her tongue like sticky glue.

"Exactly. And now that you're here, this is where Nicocchi makes her debut!" Nozomi stood to her feet. Snapping the latches of her lunch box together, she turned an exceptionally indulgent look at Nico. "You're going to help me lure out the ghost. You'll be the distraction."

Nico turned as pale as snow, but her reason was different than being frightened. Soon, she recovered.

"Wait, you didn't even tell me what the spirit is," Nico protested.

Nozomi seemed to take this as a valid point. "I think it's a little girl."

Nico was supposed to fear a little girl.

"Ridiculous!" Nico burst out. "I'm just a distraction for a little girl? I have a bit part while you hog all the glory? I mean, you know everything there is to know about your power spots, and you spirts, and—just everything! You expect everyone's favorite super idol, Yazawa Nico, to go out in the middle of the filthy and bug-ridden woods over there and—"

Now that the truth was revealed. Nozomi made her emotions a rollercoaster. like yesterday, a comforting hand descended on Nico's head. She jumped. Nico was mortified and miffed yet again that she yet again was treated like a child.

 _But it does feel kind of nice_ , Nico wondered. Registering those thoughts, she shook her head vigorously. What kind of traitorous thoughts were those?

"You'll do great," Nozomi reasoned. She slid her lunch box away in her bag.

"W—well, sure I will! I'm—no—don't treat me like a kid," NIco mumbled. Too calm of a reaction. Then, she realized she had not rejected the offer outright. She focused on the abandoned merry-go-round and cat-shaped slide nearby under one of the lamps on the park path. She added just in case Nozomi wanted to tease her, "I don't know what to do."

Nozomi's eyes glinted. She rubbed her hands together. "All you have to do is go in and make the spirit feel welcome to come out. I'll be with you, don't worry."

Vague. How incredibly vague this was. "And I do that how...?" NIco asked, packing away her dinner as well.

At least Nico was not as much of a fraidy-cat like Maki would have been about spirits roaming. Maki would have tucked tail and nested under the nearest solid object from spiritual attacks.

Never Nico even if it was ludicrous! Nico would never hide and cower. She was stronger than Maki. She would battle and show any ghost she meant business. Nico would simply smile at the ghost so brightly with winning charm the ghost would forget all its resentment.

Even if she was opposed to this, Nico had it all mapped out in her head to a perfect tee. Really, Nozomi had to be forthcoming with her hardboiled ideas of hers so Nico would grasp some of it.

"Hm, I don't know. I didn't think we'd get this far. But since we are ..." Nozomi thought aloud. She put her finger to her lips. "Any way you only can, I suppose."

Nozoimi was useless. It set her straight down to the first peg on the scale.

"We have to do what to make the spirit happy? You don't know? That's not an action plan. You're being lazy!" Nico accused, jabbing Nozomi in the ribs.

It should have hurt. Nozomi giggled.

"Fine, I'll help you by praying. I could do it, but I believe you can do it," Nozomi said with a firm nod. "Nicocchi always puts her heart into everything she does, right? I know the ghost will think you're adorable. There's no way someone so cute can lose. I really don't know if it is a little girl, so we'll have to see.."

… Nozomi was basing a ghost's cooperativeness on cuteness. Nico was the cutest in the world, but somehow Nico wondered if appearances would be enough. That was Nozomi for sure.

Despite herself, Nico felt her cheeks redden. She glared anyway. A pleasant little tingle buzzed down her spine that radiated all the way from where Nozomi had touched her hand to her toes.

"Shut up, Nozomi."


	5. Chapter 5

Talking about the small woods at the back of the park was was one thing. Based on what Nozomi told her, it was not large but wide enough to house many animals and plants. Enacting the plan to find a ghost in these woods, then, was a whole different ball game.

Nozomi and Nico stood outside the forest edge about ten minutes later. Nico could hear the gurgling of the park's fountain nearby; the buzzing and sizzling of summer insects rustled through the underbrush with gleeful hardiness.

Nico's energy all but fell through the earth. To make her come out here like this just to get all dirty It might not be totally scary, but it was not glamorous.

"Last time I thought I felt the energy in the night you followed me. Right in this spot, actually," Nozomi said. She dropped a cylinder object in NIco's palm. Nico noted a green flashlight, an item Nico had not considered bringing. "I wasn't sure what it was then, but... I thought it might be a little girl."

Finally, something for Nico to imagine.

"How would you know that?" Nico asked. That description seemed fairly specific, like Nozomi had seen the girl's face and taken a glimpse of her hair. She played with the light switch until it flickered on.

Nico flashed the light in Nozomi's eyes, and Nozomi shielded her face.

Nozomi shrugged. "Hm, well," She tapped her chin and shook her head at Nico's boredom-induced 'revenge', "the energy felt pure and gentle. It was like a soft voice calling, the energy humming. It looked golden in the sunset. Someone wandering through a maze . . . spiritual power feels different for different people because of their feelings."

Well, Nico did not know exactly what to hink, but she could identify with not knowing to belong. So she would believe.

"So, we're looking for a little girl. Right," Nico confirmed.

"Exactly!" Nozomi beamed. She raised her hands and kneaded them in the air suggestively. "Be nice, or I'll massage your breasts as punishment!"

That . . . that came out of left field.

NIco instantly backed away against one of the nearby trees. No, not this again. Her red eyes rounded, terrified. Nozomi would do that where no witnesses were. Maybe . . . maybe that had been her plan all along! Why had she not seen this before! She turned tail and raced inside the forest without her friend, kicking away a rock that sailed into a bush.

Surprised, Nozomi reached out a hand. She started to follow after her. "Where are you going? You might make the spirit angry if you go in the wrong way—"

"Leave me alone!" Nico yelled. She would keep herself pure at all costs!

Still . . . NIco would go with the plan.

Humoring Nozomi may be for the best. She would take care of this "ghost" business by herself, and maybe the ghost would tell her friends in the afterlife Nico was the best idol—in other words, wait for her to come to heaven and give a performance of a lifetime.

That was all Nico had to cheer herself up after Nozomi's scare. It really, really was.

 _I'm doomed_ , Nico realized. _I'm in a place nobody will ever hear me scream_.

Nozomi followed after, but Nico lost her a few minutes later behind the trees.

Really, Nico may have exaggerated a little. This was not a forest—more like a clump of trees. Nico ground her teeth, stomping on a patch of tangled weeds. The people paid to clean this park up needed to be fired—but it was a small and empty park most of the time anyway, Nozomi had said. Forget that! She could not believe she was her shoes were getting muddy and stained for someone not even real.

 _No, I'm not shivering_ , Nico thought mierably, hugging the fluff of a light, pink fur coat closer to her torso. _It's the summer, but… I thought spirits made everything colder… Like I'd be scared._

Now she wished she had brought Maki along just so she could share in the jittery feelings. That would have been an gut-bursting experience. Despite how much she ragged on her, Maki would have been great company. And yet, Nico knew, she had come in through her own volition. She guessed she could not let Nozomi down. She wanted to know the spirit she was not alone. Just guide the spirit to wherever it was death lead to.

 _She must be enjoying this_. A pause she pressed the thumbs of her pink gloves together. _She's buying me something good to eat after this!_ She shook her head, hmphed, and continued walking.

"Nicocchi—" The voice was far off until, Nozomi caught up to her. "Caught you!"

Nico did not stop walking.

Nozomi blissfully sidled up to her. "I guess it's alright you came in by yourself. Nothing bad has happened, and I won't let it. Have you ever seen a spirit?"

Nico frowned and twisted he hands. She wondered if her perception of a ghost was the same. "I think I have."

Nozomi's face lit up with interest. "Oh? Who was it, where was it, and how?"

NIco looked off to the side at the moonlight pouring through a tall oak tree to the left. This was embarrassing to admit. But since Nozomi had asked. . . .

"Every time I look in the mirror I see papa." She fidgeted as her father's face appeared in her mind's eye. "He was the one who taught me to smile before he passed on. Every time I see my face I don't see my hair, or my eyes, or even my cute charms. I see the smile he left me that still drives me today. I see him next to me showing me how. Because that's a part of who I am today, and I always want to show his smile, too."

No answer came. Nico thought Nozomi would just tell her it was okay, but she said nothing. In fact, Nico noticed she had stopped walking. Nico glanced over her shoulder just in time to see a tear slip down Nozomi's cheek at this.

Nico blushed. She blushed, and she hated it. She did not want to see her all depressed about her father's death, or thinking she had reminded her of it. Nico glared into the darkness and ignored everything she had just said.

"C'mon, can't you come out already, spirit? I'm cold and tired and I want to go home already," Nico complained.

Nico expected nothing, but then—

Something green flashed behind Nozomi. A circular disk of light, shimmering in the darkness. It jumped in and out of focus before diving into one of the bushes.

Awestruck, Nico pointed.

"Nozomi! Behind you!" Nico said.

Nozomi wiped her eyes with her hand. "Huh?" She glanced behind her, only to be met with a faint spot of moonlight on the grass. "I don't see anything."

"It was there a second ago." NIco's brain raced to catch up. "It should still be—"

The green light zoomed from the bushes and zipped directly over NIco's head.

Nico stumbled back and hit the tree behind her. She dropped her flashlight and heard it crack on the ground. Trying to find a way out, something caught on her hair, and she cried out in pain; a low-handing branch tangled in Nico's pigtail. She screamed and fought with it with the swipe of her hand. Her ribbon was flung away, lost somewhere on the ground.

Long, black hair cascaded down Nico's back as her ribbon was ripped out. Nico landed hard on her backside. Picking herself up as fast as she could, she lifted her hand. Nico winced. Something was sticky on her hand—no... Under her hand, Nico realized her palm had landed on a grey rock. Blood slowly oozed through NIco's glove down her palm.

 _I'll be okay, okay_... Nico chanted to herself. She nuzzled her cheek into her shoulder and hair, wondering how something like this was possible.

Nozomi's eyes widened, and she dived forward—only for the green circle to bob away and run back into the bushes. Seeing Nico on the ground, Nozomi all but took in her disheveled appearance. A determined edge sank into Nozomi's face, and she reached for Nico's hand. Then, she paused, surprised, mid-grab.

"What happened to your hand?" Nozomi asked. She took the injured hand in hers.

Nico retracted her hand anyway, not wanting to be babied. She covered the small cut with the glove, pressing down on it. She got to her feet by herself and brushed her beautiful (but now very dirty) pink jacket and practice pants off.

"That spirit happened to my hand!" Nico furiously pat down the fluffy parts of her hair that had been ruffled. With a little fumbling, she eventually found her trademark ribbons hooked between some sticks and pebbles on the ground. She was about to put them in, but she grit her teeth, cupping her hand.

Nozomi for her part tucked a strand of Nico's long, black hair behind her ear. Nico opened her mouth to protest, but Nozomi only looked down at her cut. She grimaced a little bit, apologetic.

NIco was certain she was about to say something. The words were on the tip of her tongue. But whatever she had been about to say was lost in her throat.

A brilliant green flash sparked to life in the nearest tree. A sprinkle of green light descended from out of nowhere. Like a shower of stardust, a form materialized. A girl appeared with a flowing yellow dress, her brown hair tied back in a halo of gold with blue ribbons. The light rays of green and red arced like rainbow beams around the girl as she gazed out at the sky, not even looking at NIco.

Startled, NIco stared at the crown of the treee. _Was . . . am I dreaming?_ She looked over at Nozomi who, to Nico's astonishment, did not seem to notice the spirit sticking out like a sore thumb.

"What's with that expression, Nicochi? You see the spirit?" Nozomi asked. By the tone of her voice, Nico could tell that she was excited. She followed Nico's line of sight, and then bowed her head in greeting. "Ah, I can't see anything. But hello—I can feel that you're there."

Dumbfounded, Nico gaped. "She's right there! Do you mean I'm going crazy?"

The spirit hugged her knees to her chest. Perched comfortably, she put her chin in her hand. She sent a cold sidelong glance to the two girls below her.

Not having to even see this, Nozomi shook her head. "Of course not. The spirit just seems to trust you, so this a job for only to do." She clapped her hands. "Now we have to calm it!"

 _Yeah, because glaring at me really means she likes me_. NIco was positive of that much. But Nico could not help but feel exactly what Nozomi had described earlier. A raw sadness lingered from the girl, and Nico could not stand that.

"How do I do that?" Nico's eyes were trained on the tree and spirit within.

"You have to be kind to the spirit," Nozomi said matter-of-factly. "You have to say nice things, and encourage them to go to the afterlife. It isn't good to stay here if they can't handle it."

 _Me? Kind?_ Nico could do that when she wanted to. Not like this. Nico's head hurt, ans she wildly looked everywhere.

No. Not even was a total coward.

Nico inhaled through her nose. She looked over at the spirit, and said, "I'll cheer you on, so please go in peace!"

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even a blink. The girl's attention was far off towards the stars twinkling in the sky.

"Well?' Nozomi asked.

"It's..." Nico could not understand what was happening. "She's not talking!"

"Try again," Nozomi encouraged.

Nico took a deep breath. Maybe talking about it with Nozomi had reminded her. She remembered a long time ago... years ago, when her father had passed away and she had been sad. No, that day had been filled with tears, and tears did not allow smiles. Nico had felt lost then because she had been such a daddy's girl. Back then, he had taught her to smile. Still, she had learned to smile during hards times such as now.

One thing was true through the pain.

Nobody could stay in the same place forever, not even a lonely spirit.

Nico smiled. It was a genuine smile. Maybe, oddly enough, it felt a little forced simply because it was not as projected like many of her other idol-esque smiles. She knew that the feelings of this smile would get to anyone watching her.

"You can't stay here forever," Nico said. She wondered how the little girl would have died, or even if her parents might have been dead, too, but she would have to ask Nozomi about possibilities later. "It's not good to be out here all alone. My papa died, too, so I know it's sad. But you'll just be sad if you stay and can't talk to anyone. If you go, you'll be able to talk to everyone you used to know. So you have to smile and go, okay?"

The ghost said nothing, nor bothered acknowledging Nico existed. Nico grit her teeth. Was this all she had to deal with? She was ready to yell at her—she was only trying to help!—but Nozomi simply put her hand on Nico's shoulder to calm her down. This was not the time.

"Who said I can't?" the girl demanded. "For years and years, not one person cared. I was forced to be alone all this time. It wasn't fair, none of it was fair."

Nico was almost too late to notice before the spirit raised her hand. A energy ball formed in her hand and she threw it at both of them. Nico pulled Nozomi to the side just in time for the the ball to soar past them; landing on the ground, the energy ball sizzled into nothingness.

Nozomi held on Nico's shoulder, more confused than she had been until now.

No, no, no—Nico was daydreaming all of this. She had to be daydreaming. But she had to calm this person first.

"Don't attack us! I can't help it, that's exactly what life is!" Nico replied. After all, not everyone had noticed Nico's attempts to rise to being an idol. Sometimes she had been flat-out rejected. "Not everyone will notice you. You won't always be the special one everybody will notice, but we'll listen! Nozomi was so worried about you she came here every day for you, but you never noticed her!"

Stricken, the spirit glanced at the other girl below her. She did not seem to recognize Nozomi at all, but she buried her face in her hands. She shook, and she seemed to not know what to say.

When the spirit finally spoke, her voice was like that of honey—of worlds and worlds away, almost scratchy and static.

"It's hard to believe someone sees me. All I ever really wanted was someone to notice me. I yelled and yelled until I was hoarse. I never earned a glance when I was dead," the spirit said. "It's not easy to simply be with the people you want."

"You can try," Nico said. "It's not . . . fun to be alone." She should know, honestly.

The spirit flexed her fingers. "I know. I came to this park because it was filled with people," the spirit said. "I watched, and I'd want to talk, but I'd see how people and went each day without ever seeing me, knowing I existed."

"What's she saying?" Nozomi asked.

"She said nobody ever noticed her." NIco decided, hey, if she was going to hallucinate she might as well run with it. "My friend here noticed you. She said that she felt like you were really sad, and she wanted you to move on."

"It isn't easy to be alone," Nozomi agreed. The words seemed to escape her before she had even realized what she had said. She walked closer to the tree. "That's why I love u's. Sometimes when I'm at home doing homework I feel lonely, but . . . then I remember how that homework connects me to Otonokizaka, and how much we love the school. The loneliest things can connect you to the people you care about the most."

The spirit changed her glance to Nozomi. While confusion dominated her face and she may have understood what, the gist of those heartfelt words bled through. "At night I would always feel alone. I died alone, and I thought that would connect me to my family that also died with me. I didn't want to leave alone . . . but I couldn't find them anywhere."

Nico's heart beat faster. She had no idea what the spirit had gone through, nor did she really think asking was appropriate.

"I simply wanted someone to remember I wouldn't be here, or that I was for a second." The girl hugged her knees. The light around her began to shine and fall like little stars. Slowly, she began to phase out of existence. She gazed up at the sky. "I wanted to have a place to belong. Now I know where to go. Since you're, maybe I don't have to worry."

"Are you leaving now?" Nico asked.

"Yes, I'm going to the stars," the spirit sighed, laughing softly. "I'm old and tired. I'm sure you're interested to know, but I just don't have it in me to stay. Every day I disappear a little more in this world. Maybe one day you can ask me again."

The green stars lifted the spirit towards the sky. Finally, the spirit returned Nico's smile. She smiled, a tired and weary smile, but a smile nonetheless.

She disappeared.

The wind breezed past Nico's ear. She swore she heard something, or maybe it was a trick of rustling leaves. Something prickled at the back of her neck. Even when she glanced back, she saw zilch.

An atmosphere change. It was important Nico could not place her finger on. Nico shivered. The feel of the air was less static and heavy, much lighter and less depressed. Nico felt... happier.

The branches shivered with the sound of the wind whistling through the leaves, the shadows creeping and crawling under the moonlight snaking through.

"Is she gone?" Nozomi asked.

"Yeah." Something occured to Nico. "I forgot to ask. Why didn't you ask her why she was still here?" Nico asked. This seemed like the logical course of things, but Nozomi had not pushed that issue. "We didn't even know her name."

Nozomi sighed, "It doesn't matter. I could telll—" She serached for the right words. "The spirit was ancient. She wanted to rest, not explain her life. Sometimes not all spirits want to explain themselves—we don't always know everything we want to. But I think, for a long time, she wanted someone to notice her."

Nozomi had nailed it. Of course she had.

Nico allowed this explanation to sink in. It made sense, but she wished she had known something more than the spirit's depressive state. But... she supposed, maybe opening the next chapter of the spirit's afterlife with a smile the best she could have possibly done for her.

 _Maybe that was all I need to know. Maybe that's just it_ , Nico thought.

"And you really believe I saw it?" NIco asked. "Just because I said I did?"

Surely Nozomi would not buy that.

Nozomi gave a peace sign. "If you say so, I'll always believe in you!"

Suddenly, a green light flashed in the sky, and Nico gasped. Had Nico not just ended this as the spirit departed!

Unalarmed, however, Nozomi pointed at the sky between the branches on the crown of said tree. "Oh, there's some fireworks," Nozomi said. "I didn't notice at first, but they're doing them nearby. It is the middle of summer. I guess the spirit will have light to point her to where she needs to go, doesn't she?"

As if on cue, a red star shot into the sky like a rocket, its long tail dipping back from where it had emerged from. It blossomed into a beautiful star with a pop and disappeared with as much grace as a cherry blossom evaporating into the wind. A green firework followed, but this one sprouted into a ball of fire before exploding and spraying pink and blue light in each direction of the sky.

A switch clicked on in her brain. A thousand question marks hung over her head, but now she realized the spirit had been watching those fireworks.

Or maybe not. She had felt the spirit's unmistakeable presence. Otherworldly was a loose term for the energy; it had flowed like a river of warmth and irenic gentleness, like someone had sent a grateful wish to her... thanked her. Nico could not understand where that feeling even came from. She would ignore it for the night, that was all. Ignore it all.


	6. Chapter 6

Still stunned, Nozomi lead Nico out of the forest. She reeled Nico back to the park bench before she could make sense of the illogical. Maybe the illogical had been fake. Nico had no idea.

Nozomi plopped down heavily next to her bag. Nico sat next to her.

Nico threw her head back against the bench headrest, sighing deeply. "Never again," Nico mumbled, cross-eyed.

Nozomi tsked at her disappointment. "Even if you don't understand, it's all over now. "Worry took over. "Okay, okay, let's clean that wound up so it won't bleed too much, shall we?"

Nozomi flipped through the bag she had left on the bench. She pulled out a red and blue first aid kit. Tugging out cream, a cloth, and a bandage, Nozomi set to work. She pulled off Nico's pink glove. Lightly applying medicine to the cloth, she dabbed it on Nico's hand.

NIco grounded her teeth at the sting.

"But you did it!" Nozomi pointed out. "Maybe you met a spirit, you know?"

Yeah, really. Nico was not thrilled at all.

"I did? That's great for the ghost. Getting to meet an up and coming right in the flesh," Nico said. She knew as fast she did not sound enthusiastic. After thinking about it, Nico added, "But it was missing something for all its trouble."

Nozomi blinked. "What's that?

"An autograph."

Nico and Nozomi exchanged a glance, and Nozomi burst into a laugh. Nozomi cared less about her unhappy attitude if Nico acted like her old self. In fact. . . . Nico held out her hand again for her treatment to continue, but she paused when, all too suddenly, arms circled around her. She stiffened.

Nozomi launched herself at Nico and hugged her middle. Unprepared, Nico squirmed—that was, for only a moment. It was not a perverted hug, nor a hug that pushed Nozomi's breasts up against her inappropriately. It was . . . was. . . .

An appreciative hug. A simply hug. Nico flinched while still expecting Nozomi would rub up on her, but... Nozomi really just hugged her and plainly let go.

 _Was that because of my story about papa earlier_. . . .? Nico wondered. She still envisioned that tear that had rolled down Nozomi's cheek, the transparency heighened with the peals of moonlight.

For a minute her hand stopped hurting. Then, as if to hound her for forgetting, the cut burned. Nico hissed as a pain flooded her palm and her fingers.

Nozomi shook her head and got back to work on her hand. "I didn't mean for you to get hurt. Be more careful next time. Luckily, I was all prepared for accidents," Nozomi said with pride. She gestured to the first aid kit with her elbow.

Storing the question about the hug for later, Nico was glad Nozomi had at least thought ahead. She was wiped out.

Even with this relief, however. . . .

But there was one more impending disaster to avoid on the horizon. The collision of Avalanche u's that would befall her and Nozomi for skipping practice. Now, that would be inevitable.

"How are we ever going to explain all of this to the others?" Nico panted.

"Well, I have a full-proof plan that will work without a hitch. There won't be any problems," Nozomi said.

No problems, she said. Nothing would go wrong for something like this, she said. That just had to be too good to be true. But what other options were there?

Nico would bite, and if she did not like the answer, she would throw that bait right back into the turbulent oceans.

Nico brightened. "What is it?"

Nico was indeed cautious. She knew that she should have expected the worst through seeking conformation of Nozomi's ideas, but all she could do was watch hopelessly as Nozomi smirked.

"Isn't it obvious? We have to make the rest of u's think we're dating and that's why we've been out here this whole time, of course!" Nozomi exclaimed.

Nico could do nothing but gap open-mouthed at Nozomi. She suddenly had no idea which way her feet were pointed or where the ceiling was... oh, right open sky, no ceiling. Exactly Nico's point!

"E-Eh!? Us? Da—da—" Nico could barely say that cursed word.

"Dating," Nozomi repeated cheerfully. The tone in her voice was final.

Nico sobered a little at this. Arguing with Nozomi's schemes. What a major pain.

"Dating. As in each other," Nico said, carefully, enouncing each word with precision. She could almost taste the stale and bitter taste of mouthwash.

In seriousness, Nozomi nodded. "That's the surefire plan," she confirmed.

Nico's head swam again. She could not do that, pretend. She would not do that. She would not pretend to be Nozomi's girlfriend so this bizarre and twisted—

"Wanna practice?"

"Eh...?"

Without waiting for an answer, Nozomi tilted closer to Nico. Strands of purple hair fell over her face, and she breathed softly on Nico's cheek. Her lips moved in an O shape. Nico could see her teeth behind pink and half-open lips, ready for whatever she was planning.

Not having it. Nico dodged and scooted to the end of the bench, far away.

"Practice what, you idiot? This a whole new level of crazy!" She prayed to the same god that had taken the spirit to save her from Nozomi's evil clutches.

Nozomi pouted, sore but a good sport about it. She dropped this conversation, and this time simply reached over and applied a bandage to Nico's hand.

"It'll only be for a little while until things cool down a little. We don't have to tell them outright. Just pretend. We'll say I didn't want to tell them. Please?" Nozomi asked. She bowed her head. "I hope you'll take care of me as my girlfriend!"

Take care of. . . .?

That g-word. _Girlfriend._

Nico's heart stopped beating for a moment before solemn promise set in.

 _Oh, yes. I'll take care of you, Nozomi.  
_  
Nico would take care of Nozomi without fail. Without. Fail.

Nico leaned close right behind Nozomi and pushed her back against the back of the bench. She grabbed the collar of her shirt. No matter how late it was, or what she had to do in the morning to drag herself out of bed, she would tell Nozomi where her place was right this second.

Nozomi just stared at her with big, curious eyes. She still held Nico's hand with tenderness, pressing the bandage down on Nico's fair skin.

"If you ever—" Nico started. She swallowed, licking her lips. She glared. "If you were try to do that again, I'll pull your pigtail, and you'll regret everything."

Nico was serious, too. Completely serious. Retribution at its finest.

Nozomi blinked. Nico expected a severely hurt look, or even pushing her away in fear, but Nozomi simply did none of these things like a normal girl would do. She snorted. "No, you wouldn't. You'd never do that." She sobered up for a moment after thoroughly, in Nico's opinion, washing all her scariness away in a fit of laughter. "I won't do it unless there's a good reason, okay? So don't worry so much. I'll behave myself!"

Just like that, the tension in Nico's shoulders all but eased up. Somehow... somehow, Nico just believed her. She felt defeat encase her heart and bat her breath away. Her hand burned from sweat where Nozomi touched her.

Nico hated it when she was... well, she was a little right, but now she did not want to pull her pigtail anymore. It was like Nozomi had waved a wand, or laid her tarot cards down for a good draw; Nozomi definitely had a power.

"Just do whatever you want, I guess!" Nico said. "You always do anyway!"

Face burning, Nico flicked Nozomi in the forehead. Nozomi, not expecting that retaliation, bumped her head against Nico's arm, and Nico jerked her arm back faster than the speed of a bullet.

Not perfect revenge. Revenge nonetheless! That ought to teach her a lesson she would never.

If Nozomi would stop her infernal giggles, that was. She would not stop, and it only got louder right after that.

"You're impossible, Nozomi!"

Nico tuned it out of her head as Nozomi took care of her hand, not saying anything else. It was companionable silence—that was her character. That was Nozomi being Nozomi. An slacking idiot... with a stupidly good heart.

Nico's annoyance shattered. She said nothing else, not even a scold. She crossed her free arm over her chest so Nozomi would not bump into it anymore (for insurance... or maybe she was just sulky about the whole thing... shut up). Nico leaned back and let Nozomi continue her care for her hand.

Maybe sometimes, Nico guessed, Nozomi was right. Fireworks continued to crackle off in the distance. Admist the red and green light, all Nico could focus on were the jolts of electricity in her hand right where gentle fingers touched her.

"Thank you for joining me tonight. Nicocchi was so brave," Nozomi praised. An extra spring to her step showed she had finally cheered up as she headed towards her front door. She even skipped a little bit, happy everything was over.

No, Nico really had done nothing but show how annoyingly clumsy she could be. Maki crying about a ghost would still have been cuter—but not her making a fool of herself. Nico still could not say if she believed in the whole ghost angle. After all, Nico had not seen much, or thought she had, and the fireworks cemented that perhaps it all was some nightmare she had woken up from.

Since Nozomi had said it was a spirit that trapped in the worldly realm, Nico just would have to believe her intuition.

Nico sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Now go inside and get some sleep already, and you better be at practice tomorrow."

"Of course!" Nozomi's eyes glittered with revival and vigor. She beamed, excited.

 _It's kind of nice_ , Nico realized. Red eyes narrowed dangerously. _But she's not getting off the hook so easily again._

Opening the front door, Nozomi took one step forward into her home—

—only to stop dead in her tracks.

On the other side of the door stood the other seven members of u's gathered against the hallway wall. Whispering until the door cracked open, each of them seemed surprised to be found like this. Even more incriminating, caught in their pajamas. Nonetheless unashamed.

Maki and Umi leaned against the wall. Kotori stood next to Umi, simply smiling nervously. Hanayo was half hidden behind Rin for whatever reason, and Rin and Honoka waved at them happily.

Nozomi stepped back slowly.

Spotting the scene, Nico grabbed onto Nozomi's arm. "An ambush!?" Struck with the warm light from the hallway, Nico almost felt like those were accusing glares at her for her inconsideration.

Except… no, they were not that upset. In fact, the energy hovering in the air was all too nervous to be accusing.

Eli was even—she was—

Eli stood at the forefront of the group. Nico was surprised she had not noticed her first. Eli eyed Nico and Nozomi with a critical eye. There was a long beat in which she made contact with Nico before turning to Nozomi. Hardened face not too thrilled, she eventually softened and grinned just a little too widely. Just like humilation to Nico's ears, she laughed.

What was even going on here. . . .?

Nico released Nozomi, not realizing she had grabbed her at all and marched straight up to Eli, her nemesis. "Stop giggling!" she commanded, sullen. She pointedly flailed her hands everywhere else. "What are you all doing here?!"

Nico was mortified to be—well, there she was with Nozomi, after doing...—okay, maybe she had done absolutely nothing wrong. But she felt dirty for some reason and it was not because of the woods.

All that did was worsen the laughing fit. Eli covered her mouth with her hand. She could not seem to stop giggling. Maybe she and u's really had devised some personal joke without them.

"I'm sorry... really so sorry," Eli gasped. She shook her head and breathed through her nose, reaching her normal composure. "I mean, we knew you guys were together when Nico kept leaving after you, Nozomi. We realized pretty early on, but we still didn't know when... Nozomi, you should have told me."

Nozomi tilted her head. "Told you...?"

"That you two are dating!" Honoka piped up helpfully (or not so helpfully) from behind Eli. She waved at Nozomi again, winking happily with a completely well-meaning sparkle in her eye.

Leave it to Honoka to blurt out what should have been remained unsaid.

Nico wondered if Honoka had special magic mind reading powers. She definitely could read Nozomi.

"Honoka, I told you not to be so straightforward!" Umi reprimanded. She boinked Honoka on the forehead. Umi looked exasperated and a little tired, but not too annoyed for whatever reason.

Honoka whined. She rubbed her forehead and pouted. "Ouch. But Umi-chan I wanted to congratulate them..."

All of the wind may as well have been knocked out of her. Except nobody had punched her in the gut. Nico wanted to pop out of her skin and run for the hills.

Her. Nozomi. Dating in the town.

The word swirled around in her head. She saw stars and a galaxy beyond the Milky Way taunting her with rainbow dazzling stars too bright to withstand.

How would the others even get that from them going out for two nights together!

 _It seemed longer to them, but._ Nico was speechless for rational argument.

And as stunned as she was, she did not see Nozomi move in for the kill.

A shadow moved in front of Nico. Warmth touched her lips. Red eyes stared at Nozomi's close-up face, and the image sent mismatched, blurry signals to Nico's fried brain.

Nozomi was too close . . . Too close . . . She was not ki— Nico waved her arms, but all she managed to do was snag her fingers in Nozomi's pigtail, pulling her closer, if that were even possible.

Nico jolted. Panicked for mor reasons than one, Nico dodged by ducking down and flying against the wall for safety.

Nozomi turned and pouted. Nico glared.

Act like girlfriends for a little while until this all blew over, huh? It would have been better not to tell u's at all! As if!

Nico pulled her face mask out of her pocket and strapped it on, attempting to hide just how full of rage she was. Or the redness of her face. Either way, the mask had come in handy, after all.

The members of u's appeared shocked; just genuinely unprepared for seeing two of the third years kiss in front of them, Nozomi without any shame.

Hanayo's eyes went as wide and round as one of her delicious riceballs.

"EEEHH!?"

The squeals bounced off of the walls. After a moment, the others pulled Nozomi and Nico towards Nozomi's kitchen for tea. Utter chaos and a barrage of questions rained down.

Nozomi waved them all off, too tired to talk about every detail. Most of all, her sudden decision to screw with Nico's head. Nico guessed she had to plan how she was going to explain all this. Nico wondered how she knew that was on that devious schemer's brain anyway.

"I'd tell you guys to go home, but you're all wearing pajamas. Tea it is," Nozomi said pleasantly, walking to her cupboard.

Eli blushed. "I actually made up beds for everyone because in the living it's so late. And it's Saturday, so... sleepover?"

Amusement lit up Nozomi's face. Underneath that all, her eyes shimmered—just like if there were beds of tears waiting to fall. She grinned.

"Yes!" Nozomi agreed.

Okay, so that happened. Sleepover? No sleepover, Nico had to leave and go home. That was her excuse! Not stay. But... maybe after a warm cup of tea. Then she was out of here for good!

Nico followed after Eli this time, trying to pretend nothing had happened and her name was anything but Yazawa Nico for at least a few minutes. Still starstruck, all she could muster up was one word to show her anger as the others dragged lead her to the nearest plush chair.

"N-No!" Despite her willpower not to, Nico fell into the red chair, dizzy.

The u's members simply laughed. 

* * *

**A/N:** I am aware I used u's instead of μ's, or even Muse. One day I'll have to clean that up, but while I was writing this that totally slipped my mind and I should feel ashamed.

I wasn't planning to add μ's so much in this story, but they appeared while I went for those family/friendship feels. I hope that you all overall enjoyed this story. I wanted to highlight the theme of loneliness and how it relates to Nico and Nozomi. I hope the way I wrapped this story up isn't too strange, because the spirit actually almost didn't happen. It was the core part of my story and I went through loops to actually rewrite most of chapter five a few different times so it would turn out like this, more satisfying. This ending felt right to me and I hope it feels right to you all.

You may have noticed there's a seventh chapter, but it's basically a wrap-up bonus scene with Nico, Rin, and Hanayo.

Note: In Nico's School Idol Diary, one of the stories talks about how Nico's father taught her to smile all the time. It seems he died before Nico entered high school. The story doesn't specify how and when. I imagine an illness.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** As I said in the previous chapter, this is a cut scene for the story and isn't required. It would follow directly after the ending of the story. It's just fluffy and didn't fit with the rest in my opinion, but I wanted to add it because I like this scene. 

* * *

Of course Nico nor Nozomi divulged any of the exact details about the night before. Neither to scare or seem even more insane than the situation already was. Putting a spirit to rest was not exactly a social event the u's members would believe.

Besides, Maki would freak out and would cling onto anything in sight, and the very last thing on NIco's agenda was Maki hanging all over her in terror.

Not to mention, the other girls probably would not believe Nico in a million years. Nico could live with keeping that boasting to herself for once. Anyway, Nico felt drained of energy to even come to the academy. It was a small school, but Nico definitely knew she should not feel quite this beat. And having a big lunch on the rooftop just like now energized her depleted energies.

 _Maybe it's just the feeling of being useful. It feels... different_ , Nico wondered. She raised a brownie to her mouth and took a bite, chewing slowly. _A lot different._

While Nico dreaded anyone seeing her at that moment, she… yes, she heard the racing steps of someone coming towards her at the perfectly wrong moment.

Nico glanced upward at the blue sky above her. Right as of now, it was a beautiful day out on the school rooftop. She watched a brown bird land on a pole nearby.

Act cool. She would act cool.

"N—Nico-chan, um, I, hi, um—" Hanayo's stuttering rang in loud and clear. "I didn't know you and Nozomi-chan were d-dating—"

Nico choked on the fudge in her mouth. She noticed just in time as Hanayo and Rin trotted across the rooftop towards where Nico leaned against the wall. Rin grinned wickedly at her.

Shouldn't they have another lunch!?

Rin happily filled in where her best friend was struggling. "—each other—"

"But, um, ah!" Hanayo scrambled to catch her own balance. She clutched her lunch box to her chest, cheeks completely red.

Hanayo flung out her hands and dug in the blue lunch. After a moment of fumbling she offer Nico a peace offering. It was a perfectly round riceball wrapped in fresh seaweed (and likely the perfect pinches of salt) covered with plastic wrap.

"Here, Nico-chan!" Hanayo said.

Nico blinked. She blinked again as the riceball assaulted her hands, the chunky pieces of rice rubbing against her palm.

 _I'll always take a present, but I didn't ask for one!_ Nico was dumbfounded.

"What am I supposed to do with a riceball!?" Nico yelled, pointing her leftover chopsticks at Hanayo's head. Honestly, handing her a riceball out of nowhere.

Okay, sure, Hanayo might have thought she was hungry and wanted an extra riceball. A mundane reason. But other than that, Nico put two and two together and decided that was not the actual reason here.

Hanayo cowered back a bit at Nico's scary expression. She steeled herself after a moment's hesitation and an exchanged look from Rin. She balled her her fists similarly to how Rin would.

"It's for g-good luck. Rice will give you strength and courage, and you'll do your best when the time is ripe," Hanayo assured Nico like it was the most obvious thing in the entire world.

Luck. Luck for what…?

Nico hopped back once Hanayo, despite her usually reserved nature, jumped closer to her. Warm and soft clasped Nico's hands. Hanayo puffed out her cheeks and nodded resolutely. She had made her mind up about something. Something important and unnegotiable.

Hanayo gulped before crying out, "F-Fighto, Nico-chan! You can do it!"

This was the last thing Nico expected to hear, especially from Hanayo.

Nico could do...?

Could do...

Wait. What.

... Fight for what!

"Eh?" Nico stared at the younger girl, wide-eyed. She could just could not understand this weirdness.

Hanayo being this direct... no... it just did not fit into the natural order of things! This was strange and uncalled for topsy-turvy of the universe!

In the background, Rin had caught onto what Hanayo was blessing Nico for. Rin's eyes doubled with unrepressed glee. She glanced back between Hanayo and Nico, and Nico could swear she saw small cat-like fangs beyond curl her lips.

"Kayochin! I'm proud of you!" Rin praised.

Rin tackled Hanayo and firmly hugged her around the middle. Hanayo blushed and leaned against her friend, not as fidgety in the one person's arms that understand her.

Idols were pure and innocent; they did not date anyone, guys or girls. Such was the way for Yazawa Nico's daily life. Nozomi ruined that a little with her insistent breast grabbing... but she would let that slide. idols needed some secrets.

After all, how was she supposed to know that Hanayo giving her a riceball was her way of blessing her relationship with Nozomi for a bountiful harvest?

Nico would just understand all of these romance things.

 _But in the meantime_ , Nico thought, _I guess I don't mind pretending to date Nozomi. You know, keep appearances around the others. Not to let their hopes down._ Nico shook her head, repulsed at the thought of abandoning u's support for something like this. _I'd hate that! Yeah, pretend. All pretend._

The last thing Nozomi did was pretend to care about any of them.

Nico imagined the soft smile she had given the spirit the other night, or what she guessed was supposed to have been a ghost. it did not matter. It had been kind and motherly. Nozomi truly had worried more than any of them combined.

Little steps.


End file.
